


Now and Forever

by RayllaChokehold



Category: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bisexual Character, F/F, Fluff, Headcanon, Lesbian Character, Raylla, Raylla Endgame, Smut, Soft Raelle Collar, Soft Scylla Ramshorn, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 01:43:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29893746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RayllaChokehold/pseuds/RayllaChokehold
Summary: This is a just a little story imagining what the Season 2 Raylla reunion could look like. I'm thinking episode 8-ish. Guess we'll see during summer 2021 how right/wrong I am!
Relationships: Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn
Comments: 4
Kudos: 55





	Now and Forever

Raelle sits on the floor of the dimly lit room. Tears silently roll down her cheeks as she stares absentmindedly at the hardwood floors. The wooden planks are rough and worn, and the bedroom furniture is old. The world outside the small attic bedroom is seemingly calm and the evening moonlight gently streams through the small window at the far end. Raelle doesn’t notice any of that though; she’s completely numb, paralyzed by the trauma of the past few days. 

_My mom’s really dead now,_ Raelle thinks to herself. _It's real this time; I held her as she took her last breath, and I couldn't save her._

She closes her eyes then and her face crumples at the memory, but she doesn’t sob, she’s too exhausted. She’s not sure how long she’s been sitting there, hours maybe? The sun was setting when she first came upstairs, but she has no idea what time it is now. The rest of the Spree hideout seems to have quieted down and she wonders why Tally and Abigail haven’t come looking for her. _They’re probably busy strategizing downstairs with Anacostia,_ she reasons. Raelle couldn’t stand any more strategizing though, so she decided to sneak away after dinner, during which she barely touched her food. She knew she’d been completely useless lately, so she figured it was better to just stay out of everyone’s way. 

At least people weren’t trying to take care of her as much anymore; she just wanted to be left alone. But still, she could feel their sympathetic stares anytime one of them glanced over and noticed her sullen demeanor. But, she didn’t bother trying to pretend things were alright, she didn’t have the energy for such a charade. 

Raelle is so deep in thought at this point, she doesn’t realize that someone has opened the bedroom door to look in on her. 

“Raelle?” The person says gently. But it doesn’t even register and Raelle continues to stare at the floor. The door then opens wider and the person fully enters the room, taking a few steps toward her. A column of light spills in from the hallway, illuminating the room slightly.

“Hey, Raelle?” The individual says again, louder. Raelle hears her name this time and looks up slowly, her eyes still blurry with tears. 

“Oh.” Raelle says, not really responding to the question, but rather acknowledging that someone else has joined her. It takes a second for her eyes to adjust to the additional light, but even though the person is backlit, Raelle realizes immediately that Scylla is standing in front of her. 

_Scylla._ Her stomach drops; Scylla is the only person that still makes her feel anything anymore. It’s so complicated with her though, working alongside her these past few months has run the full spectrum of emotions, things have been so confusing, heart-breaking, hopeful, devastating, and everything in between. Sometimes she looks at Scylla and sees the incredible, mysterious girl that she fell in love with, and other times she sees a woman tainted with lies and manipulation. Even though Scylla has explained herself, and Raelle understands, her anger and distrust still lingers.

Scylla waits for a moment and then realizes Raelle doesn’t intend to say anything else.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing.” Scylla continues; she’s been so worried about Raelle these past few days. Scylla’s noticed that she hasn’t been taking care of herself at all; she hardly eats or drinks, and it’s obvious from the dark circles under her eyes that she’s barely sleeping. It’s been taking all of Scylla’s willpower to avoid bombarding her with care and affection. 

Raelle thinks about Scylla’s question for a second and decides she really doesn’t know the answer. 

“I’m … here.” Raelle replies, her voice distant.

“Yeah.” Scylla says softly as she fidgets nervously with her hands behind her back; she wants to press her for more, but decides against it. She waits for another moment, giving Raelle an opportunity to contribute more, but the silence remains. Scylla gets the impression that Raelle doesn’t want her there, and she can respect that.

“Okay, well, I’ll leave you alone then.” Scylla finishes and then turns around, heading back toward the hallway. She puts a hand on the door and begins to exit the room, but then Raelle speaks again.

“Wait.” 

Scylla stops in her tracks, unsure of what Raelle will say next, adrenaline begins coursing through her body.

“Can you-” Raelle starts, but seems to struggle. “Can you... maybe come sit with me?” Raelle isn’t sure where this desire is coming from, but in this moment, she thinks that it might be nice to be alone with Scylla, comforting.

Scylla is shocked, and elated; all she wants to do is take care of Raelle, to hold her in her arms again and take away her pain, however impossible that may be. Her heart races for a second and then she slowly turns back around to search Raelle’s face, making sure she’s serious. Raelle just looks back at her; her eyes are bloodshot and her cheeks are soaked with tears, but her expression is neutral. Not having detected any wavering on Raelle’s part, Scylla closes the door and walks back into the middle of the room.

“Of course.” She says gently, as she cautiously makes her way over to the side of the bed to sit down. She moves slowly, afraid that she might startle Raelle in her fragile state. Raelle watches her get settled and then they just look at each other for a moment; it's a silent pause, but not awkward. 

“Do you wanna come sit on the bed?” Scylla finally asks, hesitantly, motioning to the empty space next to her. Raelle slowly shifts her gaze from Scylla’s face to the bed, and decides that it does look inviting, definitely more comfortable than the floor. So, she stands up slowly, takes a few steps to the edge of the bed, and then carefully sits down next to her, leaving a small gap between them. 

But as soon as Raelle gets close to Scylla, she starts to feel a familiar energy between them. There’s a sense-memory there, and her body longs to touch her again. Raelle attempts to curb this impulse, however, and tries to calm herself by staring at the floor again, as if Scylla isn’t there at all.

Scylla watches Raelle closely and notices that she’s returned to her dazed state. She’s no longer crying, but her cheeks are still damp. At this point, Scylla can’t resist any longer, she’s so close, and her body is physically aching to touch Raelle again. She leans forward slightly, trying to catch Raelle’s gaze with her own, and then reaches her hand up toward her cheek.

“Hey.” Scylla says softly, in an attempt to get Raelle’s attention. Raelle then breaks her staring contest with the floor and looks over into the most beautiful blue eyes she’s ever seen. Scylla then allows her hands to make contact with Raelle’s cheeks and she begins to gently wipe away her tears. As she’s holding Raelle’s face, she wants to lean in and press their lips together, but she refrains, knowing the gesture would not be welcomed. Instead, she just offers a small, reassuring smile before pulling her hands away. 

“Thanks.” Raelle says, embarrassed; not because she was crying, but because having Scylla dry her tears was so intimate. She feels her cheeks flush from the contact, and then affectionate memories of Scylla flood her mind. They come at her like a tidal wave and before she can stop herself, she’s yearning for the companionship of the woman sitting next to her. 

_I can’t give in now though,_ Raelle finds her resolve, _I’ve been fighting so hard to stay away from her. Right. But why am I fighting, exactly?_ She asks herself, momentarily forgetting her anger. _Betrayal,_ she remembers, _I can’t just forget about everything Scylla did. ...But maybe it’s not about forgetting,_ she continues to herself, _maybe it’s about forgiving. Because what is this life, without the people we love?_ She questions, _I just lost my mom, again, and with everything that’s happening right now, I could very well lose Scylla, too. So why am I denying myself what I really want, what’s the point? I know who Scylla really is now, and I know her love for me is real, and always has been. And after everything, I love her too. Yes, I’m done fighting my feelings, at the end of the day, I want my life to be with her._

As she reaches this conclusion with herself, her internal debate subsides. But she lets this idea sit with her for a moment, making sure it’s not an irrational reaction due to her state of mind. After a few seconds, a comforting feeling washes over her, as if she’s found solace in her decision. A hint of relief flashes across her face at this determination, and then she catches herself; Raelle then focuses back to reality and blinks a few times. She realizes Scylla is still just sitting quietly next to her, observing.

“Sorry, I just…” Raelle trails off.

“It’s okay.” Scylla responds, giving her a tender expression. “Raelle, you look exhausted, why don’t you lie down?” Scylla suggests. Raelle then takes a deep breath and begins to nod her head.

“Yeah, I’m really tired.” Raelle admits, even though it’s painfully obvious, and leans over to unlace her boots. She kicks them off and then lays down and curls up on her side, pulling her arms and legs inward. 

Scylla’s unsure of what to do now, she didn’t think Raelle would act on her suggestion so willingly. _Do I sit with her until she falls asleep? Do I leave now?_ Raelle then looks up from her pillow and barely reaches out her hand.

“Come here?” Raelle asks, plain and simple. Scylla is very confused now; _Raelle wants to sleep with me?_ Not that Scylla is complaining, or unwilling, she just never expected this turn of events when she was debating whether to come up here tonight. So again, being very cautious, Scylla slips off her shoes and slides up next to Raelle on the bed. She lays on her back initially, with her hands crossed over her stomach, but after a few seconds she decides that that’s just too unnatural. So, she rolls onto her side as well, facing Raelle’s back, leaving a small amount of space between their bodies. After she gets comfortable, she decides to push her luck and boldly places her hand atop Raelle’s hip.

Raelle smiles immediately at this development, knowing that Scylla can’t see her face. She actually can’t remember the last time she smiled; it feels good, almost as good as sharing a bed with Scylla again. This physical contact isn’t enough though, and Raelle needs more. She then takes Scylla’s hand from her hip, cradles it in her own, and pulls it up to her chest, forcing Scylla to wrap her arm around Raelle’s body. This requires Scylla to move closer though, so she closes the gap between them and presses herself against Raelle, molding her body to match her position. She then nuzzles her face into Raelle’s neck and gives her a comforting squeeze with her arm, as a way of saying “I’ve got you.”

Raelle reciprocates by hugging Scylla’s arm against her body as if she’s holding on to life itself. She lets out a soft sigh of relief followed by the most satisfying hum of contentment. _This. This is what I needed,_ Raelle admits to herself. She hasn’t felt this level of comfort in a while, not since the last time she was in Scylla’s embrace. Also, this realization just confirms to Raelle that she’s made the right decision, _my life is better with Scylla._ As they settle in together, all of Raelle’s tension begins to melt away, and the grief-driven gnawing in the pit of her stomach fades. The lack of sleep catches up with her, however, and even though she’d like to stay awake to savor this moment, her body protests. Her eyelids are just too heavy and she simply doesn’t have the energy to stay conscious. At this point, she has no choice but to give in; she relaxes completely and her breathing slows and deepens, within seconds she's fast asleep.

Meanwhile, Scylla lays awake, relishing in every detail of this moment. It’s like a piece of her was missing, and now that she’s holding Raelle in her arms, she finally feels whole again. Even though this moment is already perfect, Scylla just can’t help herself, and she gets the overwhelming urge to kiss her. So, she carefully lifts her head and then gently presses her lips to the side of Raelle’s neck. As soon as her mouth touches Raelle’s skin, Scylla breathes her in, closing her eyes, reveling in the sensation. A sense of euphoria comes over her and luckily, Raelle doesn’t stir, so Scylla kisses her softly a couple more times before setting her head back on the pillow. As she’s laying there with the woman she loves wrapped in her arms, Scylla notices that she can feel Raelle’s heart beating lightly against the fingers of her hand, which Raelle is clutching so tenderly. She can also hear her breathing softly and rhythmically, like music. This immediately captivates her attention, and after a few minutes of this beautiful lullaby, Scylla falls asleep to the song of Raelle.

\-------

A few hours later, without any warning, Raelle’s body thrashes violently as she rips herself from Scylla’s embrace and sits up in bed, stressed and confused. She breathes heavily and can’t remember where she is. She whips her head around frantically, trying to survey the unfamiliar room, and just as she’s about to jump out of bed, someone gently grabs her shoulder from behind.

“What’s wrong??” Scylla asks urgently, as she sits up next to Raelle, her voice heavy with sleep. Raelle’s completely confused about what’s happening, and very caught off guard by Scylla’s presence, but after a few seconds she begins to remember. _I’m at the Spree hideout, in the attic bedroom with Scylla, we fell asleep together, it’s the middle of the night, I’m safe, it was just a dream._

“I’m sorry.” Raelle says as she reaches up and touches Scylla’s hand on her shoulder. She then takes a deep breath to calm herself. 

“It was just a nightmare. I’m sorry I woke you up.”

“Don’t worry about me; are you okay?” Scylla asks, trying to minimize the concern in her tone.

“Yeah, I’ll be alright. I’m just a bit shaken.” Raelle responds.

“Well, here.” Scylla says as she tenderly wraps her arms over Raelle’s shoulders, pulling her gently into a hug. Raelle reciprocates by sliding her hands around to Scylla’s back, holding her tightly against her body. They both rest their chin on the other’s shoulder and just sit there together silently in their protective embrace.

After a few moments, Raelle has calmed down again and they loosen their hold on each other and begin to slowly pull away. As they do, their cheeks lightly brush against one another, and then out of habit, they end up face-to-face, resting their foreheads together. Both of their hearts begin racing as they glance down at each other’s mouth.

“Raelle-” Scylla whispers, but is quickly interrupted.

“Shh” Raelle interjects quietly and then licks her lips. “I just-” 

But she doesn’t even finish her thought as she tilts her head slightly and slowly leans forward. Scylla is apprehensive for a split second, unsure that this is a good idea, but she can’t resist and leans in as well, softly pressing her mouth against Raelle's. When their lips connect, the rest of the world falls away and their kiss is all that exists, and it’s like nothing they’ve ever experienced before. It’s tentative at first, but as their mouths mold together, an inconceivable desire rushes over them. Raelle completely loses herself in the feeling of Scylla’s lips against hers. It’s as if she’s been suffocating for months and kissing Scylla is like breathing again. She then moans softly as she presses herself harder against Scylla’s mouth, not just out of pleasure, but from sheer longing. This ignites a fury within Scylla as well, one that’s been buried deep for the entirety of their separation, and pangs of excitement start firing in the pit of her stomach. Similar to when they were laying together earlier, Scylla wants to take in every detail of this moment: the feeling of Raelle’s soft lips against hers, Raelle’s strong shoulders supporting the weight of her arms, the sensation of Raelle’s hands pulling at her back, and especially the seductive sound of Raelle’s moan. Her mind quickly catches up with her, though, and it takes all of her resolve, but Scylla stops and pulls away abruptly.

“Raelle wait, you’re grieving. I can’t take advantage of you like this.” She says breathlessly. Raelle then pauses for a moment to collect her thoughts before looking deep into Scylla’s eyes.

“Scylla,” Raelle says with conviction, “this has nothing to do with my grief over losing my mom. But it did get me thinking about my life, and what I want it to be. I’ve realized that life is nothing without the people you love, and I love you. I want you. I’ve always wanted you. Even after everything we’ve been through, my feelings for you have never waivered. This isn’t about me being sad, this is about wanting you back; I’m so tired of trying to stay away from you. I know we have a lot to figure out, but if I’m going to live in this life, then I want it to be with you. You’re the only thing I want, now and forever.”

Tears well up in Scylla’s eyes and she can’t even speak; instead, she just crushes her lips to Raelle’s again, tightening her arms around her. After a moment, she breaks their kiss and pulls back slightly.

“I love you, too.” She says with a faint sob and a grin. 

Raelle then flashes the most relieving smile before grabbing her face and kissing her repeatedly. As their lips connect again, instinct takes over and they’re not even thinking anymore, they’re just living in this moment, together. A second later, Raelle moves her hands to Scylla’s waist and gently pushes her back down onto the mattress, positioning herself on top of Scylla in the process. As Scylla delights in the feeling of Raelle’s body pressed against hers, Raelle grips her waist even harder and moves her hips against Scylla’s. Scylla moans lightly against Raelle’s mouth in response and then unwraps her arms from around Raelle’s neck, sliding her hands up to cradle Raelle’s face. Their tongues toy with one another and after a few seconds, she grabs the collar of Raelle’s jacket and pushes it down off her shoulders. 

Raelle then breaks their kiss to sit back on her knees; she removes her jacket and tosses it onto the floor. Scylla sits up to join her and slides her hands up Raelle’s back and then tips her face up to kiss her again. A moment later, Raelle interrupts their kiss by pulling Scylla’s clothes off over her head, discarding them at the end of the bed. Scylla does the same to Raelle so that they’re both topless, and then leans forward to kiss her chest as her hands continue to claw at Raelle’s back. Raelle holds on to Scylla’s shoulders and closes her eyes, she then tilts her head down and buries her face in Scylla’s hair. She inhales her intoxicating scent and then breathlessly says,

“You smell so good.” 

In between kisses, with her lips still pressed against Raelle’s chest, Scylla chuckles and replies,

“Mmm, well you taste good.”

“God I’ve missed you.” Raelle confesses.

“You have no idea.” Scylla affirms.

Scylla then wraps her arms around Raelle’s torso and pivots her body, flipping them over and playfully tossing Raelle onto the mattress. Raelle falls onto her back and Scylla lands directly on top of her. They both laugh quietly as their legs tangle together and Scylla props herself up on her elbow, leaning her head down and crushing their lips together again. She then takes her free hand and slowly runs it down Raelle’s body and over her stomach, sparking electricity between them as she caresses her skin. Scylla moves her face over and begins kissing her neck and Raelle reaches up and cradle’s the back of Scylla’s head in her hand. As Scylla trails kisses along Raelle’s collar bone, she reaches down and unfastens her pants. Once undone, she slides her hand in between Raelle’s legs and Raelle gently grabs a fistful of Scylla’s hair in reaction to her touch. 

Scylla smiles to herself and looks back up at Raelle; her eyes are closed and her face is blissful. As Scylla admires Raelle’s angelic features, she can’t resist her beauty and lifts her face up to kiss her again. She then playfully pulls Raelle’s bottom lip into her mouth and releases it slowly; Raelle smiles coyly and kisses her harder in return. While doing so, she rolls Scylla over until they’re both laying on their sides, facing each other. Raelle reaches down and unbuttons Scylla’s pants as well and slides her hand inside. 

As the intensity increases, they begin breathing more heavily, reacting to the other’s touch and also to the other’s pleasure. They’re both so lost in sensation that this moment has their entire focus; it’s familiar and comforting yet exhilarating at the same time. They maintain a rhythm but continue to tease one another, mixing it up to extend the pleasure, but it isn’t long before Raelle begins to climax, and Scylla is quick to follow. Tensions builds and then they gasp with release as their bodies shudder and ecstasy rolls through them. As the waves of pleasure subside and they begin to relax, their breathing slows and deepens; they press their lips together again gently and remove their hands from each other’s pants. They wrap their arms around one another and pull their bodies closer together, closing the small gap between them. A few seconds later, they break their kiss and rest their heads on the pillow. They look adoringly at one another and then both smile tenderly.

“I love you.” Scylla says affectionately.

“I love you, too.” Raelle replies softly as she slowly caresses Scylla's back with her hand. 

Scylla then pulls the blanket over them both and slides down to tuck herself under Raelle’s chin, nuzzling her face into her neck and chest. Raelle kisses the top of her head and they both settle in and close their eyes, completely at peace. The night is quiet again and they both feel safe in the small bed together, holding one another. They each notice the other’s chest rise and fall with each breath and it's so soothing that they're both asleep within minutes, knowing that they can handle whatever life throws at them, together.


End file.
